Stunning Break with Last Eight Years

In the first few weeks since the election, President-elect Barack Obama has broken with a tradition established over the past eight years through his controversial use of complete sentences, political observers say.

Millions of Americans who watched Mr. Obama’s appearance on CBS’ “Sixty Minutes” on Sunday witnessed the president-elect’s unorthodox verbal tic, which had Mr. Obama employing grammatically correct sentences virtually every time he opened his mouth.

But Mr. Obama’s decision to use complete sentences in his public pronouncements carries with it certain risks, since after the last eight years many Americans may find his odd speaking style jarring.

According to presidential historian Davis Logsdon of the University of Minnesota, some Americans might find it “alienating” to have a President who speaks English as if it were his first language.

“Every time Obama opens his mouth, his subjects and verbs are in agreement,” says Mr. Logsdon. “If he keeps it up, he is running the risk of sounding like an elitist.”

The historian said that if Mr. Obama insists on using complete sentences in his speeches, the public may find itself saying, “Okay, subject, predicate, subject predicate - we get it, stop showing off.”

The President-elect’s stubborn insistence on using complete sentences has already attracted a rebuke from one of his harshest critics, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

“Talking with complete sentences there and also too talking in a way that ordinary Americans like Joe the Plumber and Tito the Builder can’t really do there, I think needing to do that isn’t tapping into what Americans are needing also,” she said.

Via Andy Borowitz

Got this yesterday from Cousin Mike. I always wondered how the trend got started…

A man is at work one day when he notices that his co-worker is wearing an earring. He knows him to be an otherwise conservative fellow and is curious about his sudden change in “fashion sense.”

Finally, he approaches the co-worker and says, “I didn’t know you were into earrings…”

“Don’t make a big deal out of it. It’s only an earring,” the co-worker sheepishly replies.

“So, how long have you been wearing one?”

“Ever since my wife found it in my truck…”

Got this Onion News Network spoof (putting the “party” back in party politics) via Dan Piraro…

Warning: It’s political satire. If you’re completely burned out on politics, if watching even one more attempt at political humor will make your head explode, just say no… and walk away. Really.

Personally, I found this amusing.

So, how’s that bailout working for us? Not so well, I’m afraid. Read John Hawkins’ assessment. Maybe it’s time we start taking things “a little more seriously”…

Many rock purists and music snobs (myself included) often lament the quality of most modern pop/rock music. “Music these days is so trite and derivative,” they say. “It’s just been downhill since the 60’s and 70’s. Those were the days.”

A few years ago, Rolling Stone magazine added fuel to the music snobbery fire with its “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list. Anyone casually paging through the list would notice that the bulk of the list was comprised of songs from the 60’s and 70’s, just like the music snobs always say.

Lee at Overthinking It, however, wasn’t content with the casual analysis. So he punched the list into Excel, crunched some numbers, and found an interesting parallel between the decline of rock music quality and, of all things, the decline in US oil discovery and production:

Click image to enlargersize it

Notice that after the birth of rock & roll in the 1950’s, the production of “great songs” peaked in the 60’s, remained strong in the 70’s, but drastically fell in the subsequent decades. It would seem that, like oil, the supply of great musical ideas is finite. By the end of the 70’s, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Motown greats, and other genre innovators quickly extracted the best their respective genres had to offer, leaving little supply for future musicians. …

I don’t think I’m being pessimistic about the outlook on pop/rock music or snobbish about my retro music tastes. I think the same idea applies to other creative fields that follow a similar arc of rapid exploration followed by derivative works. Assuming some constraints on the definition of the form, the amount of innovation that can be done within that form is finite. Most of it will come early and fast, then decline after the peak. Impressionist paintings. Star Wars movies. I could go on. …

Read the entire article…

An oldie from Jessica…

A seminar on “Psychic Phenomena” was in progress when the speaker decided to involve his audience.

“I’d like everyone who believes they have seen a ghost to please stand”, he directed. Nearly the entire audience stood up.

“Now, those of you who have had a close encounter with a ghost, please remain standing.” About two dozen people continued standing.

“All right, now how many of those still standing believe they have been in the same room with a ghost?” Six people remained standing.

“Okay”, he said, grinning, “anyone who believes they’ve had sex with a ghost, remain standing.” Everyone chuckled as they took their seats except one elderly gentleman who continued standing.

“Sir, are you claiming to have actually had sex with a ghost?”

“Oh, I’m very sorry, I thought you said ‘goat’…”

Got this from Mike. I fear some folks are going to be left high and dry come February…

Today is my wonderful wife’s birthday. We celebrated with friends Saturday at TSO’s annual Sacramento concert from a suite at Arco Arena, then spent yesterday with son Rick, Kim and grandsons Chris and Jacob. The Sandhill Cranes are migrating, so we all drove down to Lodi to witness their “gathering”, a spectacle of several thousand birds descending for the evening on a small patch of wilderness preserve. Afterward, we shared a birthday dinner at BJ’s, vowed to photograph the cranes’ sunrise liftoff next weekend, and finally called it a great day.

Happy birthday, Sweetheart.

In the days of jolly olde England, one knight asked another, “Did you hear that Sir Reginald lost at the last jousting tournament?”

“No!” said the other. “What happened?”

“He was stabbed right in the arse. I would tell you more but…

it’s a sworded tail.”

(Ouch! Frank made me do it!)

Patty sent four images she and Steve took while visiting Oahu over the summer. Click on the thumbnails to display the full size versions…

    

From the top and left to right: Waikiki Beach, Waimea Falls Arboretum, surfboards racked on the beach and Bishop Museum.

Article removed by editor.

Mike sent this photo of a woman with a pair of really big boobs.

If you’re under 18, you probably shouldn’t read any further.

Stop! Don’t proceed if you’re under 18 or if you’re easily offended by the sight of really big boobs!

All right, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Click to read more ...

Steven Curtis Chapman recently had the opportunity to visit the Bethesda Naval Medical Center, a guest of the President Bush’s physician. It’s become a regular trip over the last eight or so years, and he counts himself fortunate to be able to meet our brave military men and women, both wounded and medical personnel.

Two Fridays ago he met Corpsman Thomas McBride who’d been wounded in Afghanistan and, tragically, lost part of his leg. Steven was deeply moved by this man and the sacrifices he’s made for our country. In response, and with gratitude to Corpsman McBride and all who have served America, Steven penned a song titled - and dedicated to - Thomas McBride. The song was delivered this week to Corpsman McBride by President Bush.

On this day and all this week we pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the men and women who in defense of our freedom have bravely worn the uniforms of the United States military. To mark the week, Steven’s made available, via streaming audio, his simple song, “Thomas McBride”.

God bless you Corpsman McBride. God bless our fighting men and women who bravely defend our freedoms at home and abroad. And God bless America.

A picture really is worth a thousand words!

This table was purportedly listed for sale on eBay. Can you tell whether the seller was a man or a woman?

Think you know the answer?

Click to read more ...

Michele asked that I pass this information along.

Many of you may already be aware that the U.S. House of Representatives recently approved the bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act aimed at ending the practice of “drive-through” mastectomies, where women are forced to leave the hospital within hours of undergoing major breast cancer surgery.

But the act still needs our support in the Senate! Please click the pink ribbon to sign the petition urging the Senate and the President to take the next steps to pass this very important bill. The requested information will only be use on the petition, and you’ll be helping assure that decisions regarding a woman’s hospital length of stay following a mastectomy are determined by her and her doctor rather than insurance companies.

This legislation is extremely important. I urge everyone to take the minute or so necessary to sign the petition and to write or email your elected officials as well. Email this post (click the “email” link below) to your friends. Help right this wrong.